The present invention relates in general to room fresheners, and in particular to a new and useful ring meant to be engaged around a light bulb and which gives off fragrance to the room when heated by the heat from the light bulb.
The light bulb ring must be made of special material to avoid problems associated with the high temperatures of the light bulb.
In the past other products meant to engage a light bulb were made of ceramic or plaster pieces, or even absorbent material like asbestos and cellulose. The problem with these is that the ceramic and plaster can break easily if they fall from the light bulb and, importantly, the consumers had to add messy perfume oil to the plaster every time they wanted to fragrance the room.
Similar problems occurred when materials like asbestos or cellulose were used. Although this avoided the breakage problem, the consumer still had to add oil each time they wanted to use the product. The use of asbestos also poses other safety problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,099, which is incorporated here by reference, discloses a polymer composition which releases fragrance when it comes into direct contact with a light bulb heat. Either high melting polymers with poor fragrance containing and releasing characteristics must be used or the polymers will melt on the lit light bulb.
A need remains, however, for a room freshener of this type which is effective and safe.